“Sober Bashkortostan” comes out for anti-tobacco law

Representatives of the regional public movement “Sober Bashkortostan” made an open statement concerning the anti-tobacco law, approved by State Duma deputies in the second reading on January 25.

It is said in the documents that Russia joined the countries, for a long time struggling against smoking, rather lately. In this connection Russian authorities still have to overcome serious pressing of transnational tobacco companies as well as the obstacles, erected by tobacco lobbyists.

It is necessary to say and the law-makers mark this fact every time that the law, passed in the second reading, doesn’t struggle with smokers but protect non-smoking people first of all, said in the open statement. This problem evidently turns into national catastrophe. According to state statistics more than 40% of adult population still smoke in Russia and about 80% daily suffer from passive smoking. About 400 thousand people die in the country every year because of smoking after-effects. For the last 20 years the number of smoking women increased 10 times and children start smoking already when they are 11. These horrible figures clearly prove that smoking is a problem, threatening the health of nation.

The co-chairman of the regional public movement “Sober Bashkortostan” Robert Davletshin also says the main goal of the anti-tobacco bill is protection of non-smoking citizens.

“It is necessary to underscore that the anti-tobacco bill, approved in the second reading, is directed to protection of health of non-smokers and to protection of future generations first of all. The majority of Russian population supports these measures. Reduction of smoking in the country is profitable for the authority too, since in this case it demonstrates itself as efficient and properly functioning authority. Such measures raise authority of the state power, protecting our children from such weak drug as cigarettes” – he stated.

For the reference: according to the anti-tobacco bill smoking has to be prohibited on all kinds of public transport, near railway stations and metro entrances. Besides, step-by-step complete veto will be imposed on smoking in cafes, restaurants, at medical and education institutions and on the objects of social industry. New restrictions on tobacco advertising and on smoking in TV are also presumed.